Alzheimer Europe estimates the number of people with dementia in Denmark in 2012 as being 85,562. This represents 1.53% of the total population of 5,592,738. The number of people with dementia as a percentage of the population is quite similar to the EU average of 1.55%. The following table shows the estimated number of people with dementia between 30 and 59 and for every 5-year age group thereafter.

The number of people with dementia in Denmark is not known exactly. Denmark has a register, where each person has a unique number. The number, called the “personnumber”, is needed for a lot of things (e.g. to consult a general practitioner). Every time a person goes to hospital for treatment or tests, the final diagnosis has to be registered. However, the only way to gain access to the register is to be involved in a scientific project. In 2003, a scientific study based on the register found that around two thirds of the estimated number of people with dementia had been diagnosed.

Although it is not currently possible to provide more precise data, we do know that only a proportion of those diagnosed with dementia have been through a proper investigation to establish the diagnosis.